Latch.



HARRY HAEDEN, oE LONDON, omo.

Patented April 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming ypart of Letters Patent No. 758,441, dated April 26, 1904.

y Application tiled October 14, 1903. Serial No. 177,018. (N0 model.)

To all whom. it' ntay concern:

Be itv known that I, HARRY HARDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at London, in the county of Madison and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Latch, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to improvements in latches.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of latches and to provide asimple and comparatively inexpensive one designed to be employed on barn-doors, gates, and the like and capable of universal application where it is desirable to hold a movable member to a relatively fixed mem-V ber and adapted also to be readily engaged with and released from the movable member or keeper when the proper pressure or force is applied, thereby obviating the necessity of manipulating the latch by hand in securing the movable member to the stationary member and in disengaging it therefrom.'

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction Within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrilicing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the latch constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a portion of a barn-door. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the washer. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the antifriction-roller. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the spring.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings. v

l designates a spring-actuated catch pivotally mounted on a transverse pin 2, which passes through a pair of perforated ears 3 of a latch-plate 4, and the latter is secured by screws 5 or other suitable fastening devices downward or outward in a direction away to a barn-door 6 or to any other movable member. Although the latch in the accom- 4panying drawings is shown applied to a portion 'of a barn-door, yet it will be readily apparent that the latch is of universal application and V,isv adapted for various other structures whereinI it is desirableto lock amovable member with a relatively fixed member, and the latch is also capable of reversal, it being equally as'efective when applied to the stationary or relatively fixed member for engaging the movable member. The screws are preferably arranged at the ends of the plate in line with the longitudinal center thereof,

andthe said plate is provided at opposite sides near one end with oppositely-disposed lugs or iianges 7, which extend inwardly over the latch-plate vto receive the terminal portions of an approximately U-shaped spring 8. The

anges or lugs 7 are approximately L-shaped or hook-shaped, and they are adapted to securely hold the sides of the U-shaped spring when the latter is under tension.

The spring, which is approximately U- shaped, is provided between the ends of its sides with coils 10, forming inner and outer arms which when the spring is placedunder tension are disposed approximately at right angles to each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The inner arms or portions are secured to the latch-plate by the lugs or ianges 7, and the outer arms, which constitute a loop, saddle and partially straddle the pivoted latch and are preferably curved near their outer ends, as shown at 9, to enable them to engage the side faces of the pivoted latch. The transverse end portion of the loop of the spring extends across the outer portion of the latch, whereby the latter is forced from the lugs or flanges 7.

The spring is adapted to throw the pivoted latchdownward into engagement with a horizontal roller l1, which constitutes a keeper, and the downward or outward movement of the latch when the same is not in engagement with the roller' is limited by a heel or projection 12, located below the pivot2 and arranged to engage the latch-plate. This heel or projecting portion 12 is adapted to maintain the IOO latch in proper position for automatically engaging the roller when the barn-door 6 is closed, and the outer portion of the latch is provided with a curved lower face 13, which is adapted to readily ride over the roller 11.

The latch is provided at its lower or engaging face with a curved recess 14, conforming to the configuration of and adapted to receive the roller 11. The latch is maintained in engagement with the roller by the spring and is adapted to hold the barn-door secu rely closed. 'Vhen it is desired to open the barn-door, the latter is pulled forward or outward, and when suiiicient force is applied the roller 11 will rotate, and thereby lift the latch out of en-A gagement with it.

The roller is supported by a horizontal screw 20 and is interposed between the head 21 thereofl and a washer 22. The roller is arranged on the screw between the head thereof and the washer, which is circular and tapered, and the said roller forms a continuation of the reduced end of the washer. The washer 22 is provided with a series of spurs or projections 23, adapted to be embedded in the wall or adjacent portion of the door-frame, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The door is designed to be provided with a suitable grip or handle, by means of which the latch is operated. When the door is forced inward, the latch will automatically engage the roller, and when it is pulled outward the roller will be similarly released.

It will be seen that the latch is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is strong and durable, and that itis applicable to barn-doors, gates, and various other structures where it is desirable to hold a movable member to a relatively fixed member. Furthermore, it will be clear that the engagement of the roller and the pivoted latch is purely automatic and that the latch when in engagement with the roller is capable of holding a barn-door, gate, or other movable member firmly in its closed position.' rI`he terminals of the frame are preferably bent at an angle and engaged with the outer edges of the lugs or flanges, as shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A latch comprising a latch-plate provided at opposite sides of its outer face with outwardly-projecting lugs having portions extending inwardly over the plate, a pivotallymounted engaging member connected with the plate, and a spring bearing against the engaging member and provided with opposite sides located within the lugs of the latch-plate, whereby the spring is removable Without detachingthe plate, substantially as described.

Q. A device of the class described comprisinga latch-plate provided at opposite sides of its outer face near one end with a pair of projecting lugs having engaging portions extending inward over the plate, the latter being also provided with perforated ears extending from the latch-plate near the opposite end thereof, an engaging member arranged approximately at right angles to the plate and pivoted at one end between the ears and provided between its ends with an engaging portion, and a spring having its sides interlocked with the lugs, whereby it is connected with the latch-plate, said spring being in engagement with the pivoted member, substantially as described.

3. In adevice of the class described, a keeper consisting of a screw provided at one end with a head, atapering circular washerarranged on the screw and provided with aspur for holding it against rotation, and a roller arranged on the screw between the head thereof` and the small end of the washer and forming a continuation of the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY HARDEN. 

